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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2009 10:44:52 GMT
On one of my trips to Cairns, I took the Kuranda scenic railway. Kuranda is a small town 25 km away from Cairns, up in the hills and surrounded by a rain forest. It's a lovely little place but unfortunately overrun by tourists, and the local economy seems to revolve exclusively around the tourist trade. Besides the railway, there is also a cable car that goes there from the suburbs of Cairns. I was very happy to take the old train. This is a stock photo from the internet, but I took the other ones myself. The train station is delightful. The town probably has more station gardeners than actual railway employees. The whole town in buried under pleasant vegetation. From the train, both going to Kuranda and back, there are several very nice waterfalls to admire. If the weather is nice, I definitely recommend a visit to Kuranda by anyone in the Cairns area. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2009 11:44:30 GMT
What an lovely place, I'll have to keep that one in mind.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 26, 2009 14:39:09 GMT
Wow. If a side effect of tourism would always be great public gardens, I'd say bring on the tourism!
My mental question was how do they water all that?, then I scrolled to the next two pictures and saw that there's plentiful water there.
Lovely area.
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Post by Kimby on Aug 7, 2009 21:16:47 GMT
On other travel forums there's a strong prevailing view that Kuranda is too touristy to justify, though everyone agrees that the Skyrail and train (take the train up and the Skyrail down) is worth doing.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2009 21:27:09 GMT
I agree that it is "too touristy" -- and at the same time, there are not all that many touristy things to see in the area, so it is a relief to go there and not feel cheated.
I get really annoyed with people ("tourists") who want to go somewhere and avoid touristy things. Do they prefer to see the truck depot?
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Post by Kimby on Aug 7, 2009 21:49:57 GMT
No, we just like to visit things that tourists would like, but without the crowds!
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Post by happytraveller on Aug 17, 2009 17:30:49 GMT
So true words Kimby !  I quite liked Kuranda, despite all the tourists. |
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Post by Kimby on Aug 17, 2009 19:33:09 GMT
Lots of times, a "touristy" place will be quite pleasant - if you go there when the bus groups are taking their meals.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 21, 2009 14:45:16 GMT
My definition of "touristy" would be someplace with a character almost obliterated by pandering to tourism. The lovely town show here hardly seems to fit that description.
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Post by Kimby on Aug 21, 2009 16:06:10 GMT
Of course, when one visits a tourist destination, they will wait for hours if necessary to take a picture that doesn't include any other tourists.
Except Japanese, who seem to only like pictutes that have people in them. We have noted that they will pose their fellow travelers happily in front of a dumpster. I often wonder if they have any pictures of just scenery, without a person posing prominently in the foreground.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 17:03:35 GMT
Dumpster + Eiffel Tower + blond exotic children
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Post by mockchoc on Sept 20, 2009 11:02:00 GMT
I've been there a few times. Remember the waterfalls are only spectacular during or after the wet season.
If you are staying in Cairns get up early and drive up there or take the train up and the skyrail back down over the top of the rainforest canopy in the afternoon.
Last time I started out with breakfast at one of cafes. It's a lovely way to start the day then wandered around the markets etc...
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 20, 2009 14:02:30 GMT
We need to see the Mockchocovian part of Queensland!
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Post by jingjoe on Sept 21, 2009 0:46:59 GMT
This area is a few hours drive from home for me. SO much more to see in the vicinity - though without a rental car, your options become more limited. It's not a difficult drive to get out to the Chillagoe Caves, where you cross from the tropical rain forest into the genuine "outback". Heading out via Dimbula (tobacco growing country). Authentic local pubs to stop at for a counter lunch an ice cold beer or two along the way or in Chillagoe itself.  maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Cairns+QLD&daddr=Chillagoe+QLD&geocode=%3BFRlB-v4d5T2dCCkr4CGCVraDaTE6YWM3DUPNhw&gl=au&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=-17.153767,144.96719&sspn=1.283318,2.469177&ie=UTF8&ll=-17.062036,145.318909&spn=1.283951,2.469177&z=9 The loop from Cairns vis Kuranda and the Atherton Tablelands is a magnificent drive, no shortage of places to stop off. If you're taking the kids, bring a towel, there's SO many quiet/private/deserted fresh water (critter free) swimming holes to stop at. Some of the busier ones include the two defunct volcano's of Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine;  You can hire house boats at Tinaroo Dam, no shortage of wildlife and birds to enjoy as you kick back on the deck of your houseboat, and reel in a burramundi or three.  MAP: maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Captain+Cook+Hwy&daddr=Kennedy+Hwy+to:tinaroo+to:Kennedy+Hwy+to:Malanda+Atherton+Rd+to:lake+eacham+to:lake+barrine+to:cairns&hl=en&geocode=FdZp_v4dSuevCA%3BFb5h__4dUi6uCA%3B%3BFUa9-P4d3syrCA%3BFX479_4dvoutCA%3B%3B%3B&gl=au&mra=ls&sll=-17.071226,145.751495&sspn=0.641951,1.234589&ie=UTF8&ll=-17.117168,145.442505&spn=1.283572,2.469177&z=9 |
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Post by Kimby on Sept 24, 2009 21:12:21 GMT
We may get to several of these places, as we have now scrapped plans to go to either the top end (too hot/humid) or red centre (too pricey/hot) and will concentrate on North QLD perhaps as far south as the Whitsunday Islands, and Sydney.
Will get to explore inland QLD with all the time this frees up.
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Post by hwinpp on Oct 13, 2009 7:06:48 GMT
Nice fish you caught there, Joe!
We used to catch 'em on the Fitzroy.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 23, 2009 20:26:24 GMT
Well we did go to Kuranda, but not by Train or Cable Car.
We waited till the very end of our 10 day campervan rental, having seen Cairns, Pt. Douglas, Mossman Creek, Cape Tribulation, GBR snorkel, Tablelands, Millau Waterfall Circuit, platypus watching at Yungabarra (we saw 2), Ravenshoe, Tully Gorge, Mission Beach, and Babinda Boulders in the meantime.
With a 3:30 deadline for turning in the campervan (unlike car rentals, camper rentals are by the calendar day, so best to pick it up as early in the day as you can and turn it in as late as allowed on the last day), we used our final day to drive from the free camping ground at Babinda Boulders park to Kuranda and explore in the area. We really enjoyed the hiking trails through the rainforest. We popped into a couple shops selling aboriginal art and wood crafts, but weren't seduced into buying anything.
We drove down to Barron Falls, pictured in K2's series and took the rainforest skywalk (elevated board walk) hike there.
And we saw the train (there are actually 2 trains) 3X that day: had to stop at a crossing to let it go by on our way up to Kuranda, heard the whistle whilst on a pathway at Kuranda and scrambled up the bank to photograph the train as it chugged by, and we met the train at a crossing again after we returned the camper in Cairns and had visited the botanic garden on our way back to our hotel on foot. Didn't feel the need to ride it.
Kuranda was worth going to for the hiking alone, but I'm glad we didn't skip anything else to go there.
BTW, we also changed our mind about skipping the Red Centre, and rented a 2nd campervan there for 5 days.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2009 20:47:36 GMT
Kuranda is a delightful "tourist trap". I will never criticize such places, because even though they are not essential, it is often very nice to see them anyway. France has hundreds if not thousands of them, and nobody seems to be complaining.
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 23, 2019 19:54:09 GMT
Just been watching Great Australian Rail Journeys with Michael Portillo on BBC2. Started in Kuranda and one if the towns they visited was Innisfail. It was destroyed by a cyclone in 1918 and rebuilt as the most beautiful art deco town.
When I win that lottery it's at the top of my list.
North Queensland looks beautiful.
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 24, 2019 5:34:42 GMT
I really liked the tropicality of it all.
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Post by whatagain on Nov 24, 2019 9:36:36 GMT
Thanks for reviving this thread. Australia is on our list - when we retire. One stop at Dubai then a stop in on India or Singapore or ? Then Australia. 3 weeks minimum on the grounds. One week travel way in one week way out. That is how we see it.
Net result : we ll see it after retiring.
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 24, 2019 10:07:20 GMT
When I went we stopped at San Francisco on the way out and Singapore on the way back.
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Post by mockchoc on Dec 8, 2019 1:16:47 GMT
I'm just a few hours south of Cairns.Magnetic Island is really relaxing and half an hour by ferry.
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Post by mockchoc on Dec 8, 2019 1:22:33 GMT
Kuranda is a delightful "tourist trap". I will never criticize such places, because even though they are not essential, it is often very nice to see them anyway. France has hundreds if not thousands of them, and nobody seems to be complaining. Kimby the waterfall circuit (tons of them) are at Milla Milla. Yes I'd recommend Babinda Boulders for a dip and there is the BEST cake shop ever for Beesting cake. Luckily I can't remember it's name so there will be some left for me next time.
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Post by questa on Dec 8, 2019 4:18:08 GMT
I think the markets started with the alternative culture groups meeting up there to barter and exchange their produce. They added hand made goods, souvenirs then the tourists came. The railway became famous for its gardens and birds. Now it has the best and worst of tourism.
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I quite liked Kuranda, despite all the tourists.
